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World Reaches 1 Billion
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Establishment of National Forests
The forest reserves were transferred to the Forest Service by President Teddy Roosevelt and then were designated as national forests in 1907. -
Migratory Bird Act
Implement the convention for the protection of migratory birds. -
Bald Eagle Protection Act
United States federal act that protects two species of eagle. -
Public Health Service Act
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Everglades National Park
Protects an unparalleled landscape that provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther. -
World Reaches 3 Billion
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Antarctic Treaty System
The whole complex of arrangements made for the purpose of regulating relations among states in the Antarctic since it does not have any human population there. -
Silent Spring published
An environmental science book by Rachel Carson, it documented the adverse effects on the environment of the indiscriminate use of pesticides. -
Clean Air Act
United States federal law designed to control air pollution on a national level. -
Wilderness Act
It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected 9.1 million acres of federal land. -
Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITE)
International agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. -
DDT Banned
Banned after it was discovered to be dangerous to wildlife and the environment. -
National Environmental Policy Act
Promotes the enhancement of the environment. -
First Earth Day
Founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in. -
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
United States governing the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste. -
EPA Formed
Independent agency of the United States federal government for environmental protection. -
Clean Water Act
The primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. -
U.N. Environment Programme Created
Coordinates the organization's environmental activities and assists developing countries. -
Water Quality Act
Primary federal law that fights to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters. -
OPEC oil embargo
During the Arab-Israeli War, Arab members of OPEC imposed an embargo against the United States in retaliation for the U.S. decision to resupply the Israeli military and to gain leverage in the post-war peace negotiations. -
Endangered Species Act
Serves as the enacting legislation to carry out the provisions outlined in The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. -
World Food Summit
Convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. -
World Environment Day
Celebrated every year on June 5th and was established to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. -
Toxic Substances Control Act
Act that regulates the introduction of new or already existing chemicals. -
Alternative Energy Institute
Provides education and outreach around the U.S. and the globe. -
Love Canal Disaster
The area sat on 21,000 tons of toxic industrial waste that had been buried underground in the 1940s and '50s by a local company. -
Three Mile Island accident
The Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor, near Middletown, Pennsylvania, partially melted down and luckily had no detectable health effects on nearby workers. -
Union Carbide plant explosion
Also referred to as the Bhopal gas tragedy, it was a gas leak incident and is considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster. -
Chernobyl Nuclear Explosion
Was as a catastrophic nuclear accident in Russia. -
World Reaches 5 Billion
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Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
An oil tanker owned by Exxon Shipping Company, headed for long beach California struck Prince William Sound´s Bligh Reef which spilled 10.8 million US gallons of oil. -
Montreal Protocol
Designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. -
Gulf War Oil Spill
One of the largest oil spills in history, resulting from the Gulf War in 1991. -
First U.N. Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992. -
Food Quality Protection Act
Act to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and for other purposes. -
Kyoto Protocol
An international treaty that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. -
Lacey Act
This act bans trafficking in illegal wildlife. This landmark legislation is the world's first ban on trade in illegally sourced wood products. -
BP Oil Spill (Deep Horizon)
Considered to be the largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. -
World Reaches 7 Billion
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Paris Climate Accord
An agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance, starting in the year 2020.
